Continuing to progress and make steps forward with the Yamaha YZR-R1 machines, the Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team are looking forward to the Motul Italian Round. Hoping they can make that step onto the podium, the pair of Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) and Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK) are keen to impress at Pata’s home race.

Alex Lowes had a mixed weekend around TT Circuit Assen, with a DNF followed by a top five finish but is keen to get racing underway at Imola – a circuit he feels comfortable with his riding style. The British rider has achieved top six finish’s in Italy, but he will hope to take this a step further and break into the top five.

Lowes explains: ”Imola is a great track with lots of character and is similar to the type of tracks I grew up on in British Superbikes. We finished Assen with a positive result and I got a lot of confidence from race two so I'm excited to get to Imola with the goal of a solid weekend, looking for the best results possible. It's also the home race for Pata so we will have a lot of support, which I am really looking forward to.””

Following an intense home round last time out, Michael van der Mark will enjoy riding with less pressure in the fifth round of the season at a circuit he will hope to improve at – his highest finish has been a seventh so far. Continuing to understand the Yamaha as the season continues, van der Mark will spend the weekend learning, with the hope of a strong outcome.

”I am looking forward to Imola,” adds Van der Mark. “It was a hectic weekend at Assen, but in the end the result was really good. I hope we can continue our form and fight for the top 5 again. Imola is a completely different track compared to the tracks we have been to so far, so I'm curious to see how the R1 will work here with the base setup we have. I'm confident we can have a good weekend.””

Keep up with the thrilling WorldSBK action with the VideoPass from the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola, and follow the Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team as they make the steps throughout the weekend.